Practical tips for building SOHO networks

…to a wireless network with no password request, and this isn't limited to private home networks. I was horrified when I was able to log straight into a large corporate network at a customer's premises. I was looking up a part number for a mailing machine and my laptop detected a network. Out of idle curiosity, I clicked Connect and was soon looking at a huge array of servers! What was really worrying was that this was the international headquarters of a major UK bank!

Cabling scenarios
When it comes to connectivity, there are two ways to go with a SOHO network — or possibly three: good old-fashioned cable, the increasingly popular wireless, and the approach I chose for my home system — a mixture of the two. My ISP provides an 8 Mbps connection, which is shared around the house.

I've just moved from a modern house with stud interior walls to a 200-year-old stone-built cottage, which is fantastic, but the wireless access point works only in the main living room and one of the bathrooms. The wired portion of the network covers my office and two of the bedrooms. We use a router so that any of the connected computers can access the Internet without the need for any other PC to be switched on. ICS (Internet connection sharing) requires that a PC directly connected to the Internet should remain switched on so any other devices can share the connection. With the ISP login being stored in the ADSL modem, any of the household's PCs, laptops or PDAs can connect.

I like the resilience of having separate units for each function. If the router fails, I can connect directly to the modem and go online to order a replacement. If the wireless access point fails, I still have cable to fall back on. To complete the "emergency plan", I also have a spare USB modem and could, if need be, fall back on that and implement ICS. The thought of having wireless, Ethernet and ADSL modem all in one box is not a comfortable one for me.

Tools of the trade
As with any occupation, there are tools that make the job easier. Some of these are obvious and will probably already be in your kit. I've listed these in Kit A. Kit B lists those items that may not be so obvious but are still useful to anyone installing cabling.

Kit A: The obvious stuff:

• Wire cutters
• Screwdrivers
• RJ45 punch-down tool
• Cable continuity tester
• Small penlight
• Crimp tool
• Drill
• Cable tacker

Kit B: The not-so-obvious (but equally useful) stuff:

• 24-inch long 6mm hollow aluminum tubing; a broken aluminum arrow is perfect. When you have drilled through a wall or floor, simply push it through the hole and then push the cable through the tube. On the other side, withdraw the tube and the cable is threaded. Pushing a loose cable through a drilled hole is a most frustrating process.
• Wire coat hanger. A straightened-out wire hanger has a thousand uses. Use the hook on the end to reach for cables threaded through floor spaces or guiding a cable through floor and ceilings. It can be a nightmare trying to push cables through holes, as they tend to bend and refuse to line up.
• String. Sometimes string will go where ingenuity can't. Once string has been run, tape on the cable and pull it through.
• Adhesive tape. This is useful for attaching cable to string or wire. Tape the ends of cables into loops so that they can be fished for with the wire coat hanger. It can also stop bleeding in an emergency.
• Small fishing weights. These are a great help when trying to keep cables neat. Create perfect verticals by hanging weights on the drops, then tacking at even intervals.
• Handheld metal detector. Locate those power cables and water pipes with this rather than with your drill. It's a lot less messy.

Installation
Once you and your client have agreed upon a plan, you can get to work. Make sure you have sufficient power outlets close to the networking hardware and that there is somewhere to put the equipment. Mine is located on a small shelf behind a sofa. The router, modem and WAP stack together, and the cables from them run down the wall behind it. The patch sockets are on the wall below the shelf, so the patch cables can hang unobtrusively. The fixed Cat 5 cable then disappears behind panelling, up into the ceiling, and off to the other rooms. On the other end of the cables are wall-mounted RJ45 sockets. Short patch leads then attach PCs to them.

To install networks, you need to know about buildings as well as IT. A couple of years' experience as a building contractor is so valuable to me when it comes to knowing what to cut through and what to go round! If you aren't sure, go round. Running a few extra feet of cable is a lot cheaper than rebuilding a wall.

Once it's all in place, you're ready to plug in and test. Windows has a simple networking wizard that will help you set up a peer-to-peer workgroup. Each device needs to be named and the correct workgroup entered into the network identity screen. Make sure you create the necessary shares for folders and printers. Simply right-click on the resource icon, choose Sharing, and select the desired options. You might want to take advantage of the options to require a login to access the resource.

The future
The focus here has been on setting up a simple network designed to allow centralised storage and printer sharing, but as the business grows in size and complexity, it will require additional, more sophisticated configuration. The customer is likely to need your services in the future, for upgrades, repairs, expansions, and so on. You might be able to offer a maintenance contract, with quick response times and the opportunity to resolve issues remotely using such tools as PC Anywhere. That way, you too could earn some of your living without even leaving home.